Tuck a bench between planters for built-in shade. If you could use more shade in your patio consider installing a bench nestled between a pair of big planters filled with trees. Check with your local garden center to choose a variety that does well in a pot and works with...

This is the kind of bench you can style to fit into almost any decor. Add baskets to store mittens and gloves a cushion in the color of your choice to soften it up and perhaps even a few birch logs in one of the cubbies to warm it all...

Clearing the way for the view. Who says bench seating has to be on the side of the table? The benches at the end create a perfectly unobstructed view down the table to the outside. Sometimes the selection of a bench is more for what it isn't than what it...

As a small sofa or banquette in a tight space. Add a few pillows and a bench can practically shape-shift into a sofa. Pile up the pillows (in different shades and patterns) to cozy up a low-back bench or simply push a bench against a wall to hold the pillows...

Welcome friends with a curved border. Sharp modern lines look crisp but they are not for everyone. If you crave a softer look try introducing a round shape to your patio with a gently curved bench made from stone or wood....

Weather the elements with stone seating. A stacked stone bench and table have a rustic elegance that would be at home anywhere from New England to California and beyond. In the summer it can play host to gatherings plumped up with colorful cushions. In the winter it adds organic beauty...

In the foyer. Even in a large home the foyer or entry tends to be a relatively small area but so often we need a quick seat to slip off a boot wait for a slowpoke loved one or set down a package. A bench with a slim profile can...